Difficulty Losing Weight: When Your Body Feels Stuck
Finding it hard to lose weight can feel confusing, frustrating and, at times, a bit demoralising. Especially when you’re eating “pretty well”, moving regularly, and the scales or your clothes don’t seem to budge.
For many women, struggle with weight is not a willpower problem. Weight regulation is influenced by a mix of hormones, stress, sleep, digestion, blood sugar balance, muscle mass, past dieting history and life stage. When we zoom out, it becomes less about blaming yourself and more about understanding what your body is actually dealing with.
Struggling to lose weight does not mean you’re failing. It often means your body is asking for a different type of support – sometimes gentler, sometimes more strategic, but always more personalised. The aim is to work with your body rather than against it.
Why do some people struggle more to lose weight?
Two people can follow the same plan on paper – similar meals, similar steps, similar sleep – and see completely different results. That’s because your metabolism is not just a single “calorie in, calorie out” equation; it’s shaped by hormones, sleep quality, thyroid function, gut health, your stress response, menstrual cycle and how much lean muscle you have.
For some women, weight feels easier to manage in their 20s and 30s but becomes more stubborn in their 40s as perimenopause hormones naturally shift. Others notice that chronic stress or broken sleep has a strong effect on appetite, cravings and how their body stores energy. If you’ve spent years in cycles of restrictive dieting and regaining, your body may also be more protective, which can make weight loss feel slower or less predictable.
Understanding your own patterns – when you feel most hungry, when cravings spike, what happens around your cycle, how you respond to certain foods or training – is key to creating a plan that supports your long‑term health, not just a short‑term drop on the scales.
What might be behind difficulty losing weight?
There are many reasons someone might find weight loss harder than expected. Some common factors I explore with clients include:
Eating patterns – long gaps between meals, frequent grazing, night shifts or very irregular meal times can all affect hunger hormones and blood sugar regulation.
Low protein intake – not getting enough protein can make it harder to feel satisfied, maintain or build muscle and keep blood sugar steadier.
Blood sugar peaks and troughs – lots of ups and downs can drive cravings, energy crashes and evening overeating.
High stress or emotional load – ongoing stress can influence cortisol, sleep and emotional eating, and may also affect where your body tends to store fat.
Poor or inconsistent sleep – even a few nights of short sleep can increase hunger hormones and reduce motivation to move.
Perimenopause and menstrual cycle changes – shifts in oestrogen and progesterone can change body composition, where weight sits on the body and how you respond to certain foods.
PCOS or other hormonal conditions – these can affect insulin sensitivity, ovulation and body composition.
Sluggish thyroid – low thyroid function can slow metabolic rate, contribute to fatigue and change how you feel in your body.
Past restrictive dieting – years of on‑off dieting can influence hunger signals, food beliefs and sometimes how your body “trusts” energy intake.
Digestive issues – ongoing gut symptoms may affect how well you tolerate certain foods or how comfortable it feels to eat enough of the right things.
Low muscle mass – muscle tissue is metabolically active; if you’ve lost muscle through chronic dieting or inactivity, it can make weight loss feel harder.
Ultra‑processed foods – a diet very high in ultra‑processed options can make appetite regulation and portion awareness trickier.
Low fibre intake – both the quantity and variety of fibre matter for digestion, fullness and blood sugar balance.
Sedentary periods – long stretches of sitting with little movement outside of workouts can quietly reduce overall energy expenditure.
Not all of these will apply to you and you don’t need to tackle them all at once. The key is identifying which two or three are actually moving the needle for your body. How I support weight that feels “stuck”
As a nutritional therapist and personal trainer, I support many clients whose weight feels resistant despite trying hard. We’re not just chasing a lower number; we’re looking at what’s driving that resistance. When we work together, we’ll explore:
What, when and how you eat – including hunger signals, fullness, emotional eating patterns and how meals change across your cycle.
How stress, sleep and your nervous system might be affecting appetite, food choices and recovery.
Your movement and strength training, and how we can use this to support muscle, bone health and metabolic health, not punishment.
Any relevant hormonal or digestive symptoms that might be part of the picture.
Over a period of around three months, we’ll typically focus on:
Stabilising your blood sugars so you feel fewer extreme highs and lows.
Supporting more restorative sleep and nervous system regulation.
Improving gut health and overall food quality in a way that still feels enjoyable.
Building or maintaining muscle mass through realistic movement and strength work.
Supporting your hormones and cycle, especially if you’re in perimenopause or living with PCOS.
This whole‑person, full‑body approach allows us to build sustainable strategies that feel supportive rather than restrictive or punishing. The aim is for you to feel better in your body and more confident in the way you’re looking after it, regardless of the exact number on the scales.
When might it be worth checking in with your GP?
If weight changes are very sudden, unexplained, or accompanied by things like marked fatigue, hair loss, significant menstrual changes, new digestive symptoms or anything that feels out of character for you, it’s sensible to have a chat with your GP to rule out issues such as thyroid problems, iron deficiency or other medical conditions. Nutritional therapy works best alongside that information, not instead of it.
Weight feeling difficult to manage?
When weight feels stuck, it’s easy to slip into self‑blame or keep jumping to the next extreme diet. You don’t need more rules; you need a clearer understanding of your body and a plan that reflects your reality, your values and your life stage.
If you’re feeling stuck or unsure where to begin, we can explore the possible contributors together and create a personalised approach that supports your metabolism, energy and overall wellbeing. You’re very welcome to book a free introductory call so we can talk through your situation and see whether working together feels like the right next step.